TUESDAY 28 JULY   WEIPA TO MORETON TELEGRAPH STATION   148kms

John had letters to write and we had share matters to arrange, so it was nearly midday when we left Weipa. Had to go to PO and newsagency first. The girl in the newsagent told us that Stone Crossing was a real problem. Some people who came through yesterday about 1pm got a lot of water in their vehicle. Not for us then – but I bought a tide times book for in case we decide to come back that way.

So we headed out of town the way we came in.

Some 65kms back along the road, we turned left and took a short cut, through Batavia Downs. It was a rough and corrugated road. Going along that, we began to smell beer. Got out to investigate and saw beer running from under the wheel arch, so we obviously have a beer can problem, due to the rough roads! Will sort it out when we stop for the night – no way are we unpacking the back of Truck by the side of the road.

We did eat lunch by the road side – packed sandwiches.

Turned left when we reached the Peninsula Development Road, at Batavia Downs. A couple of kms further on, passed the Frenchmans Track, to the right, which is one way to get to the east coast and Portland Roads. The main road was better than we’d come across on, but still with lots of corrugations.

John gave me a driving spell after lunch. We were not looking forward to the Wenlock River crossing, which has a bad reputation for causing problems for travellers – strong current, sandy bottom, deep water to one side. Travellers sometimes have to use a raft made from 44 gallon drums to float their vehicle across! My plan was to stop before the Wenlock so we could check it out, and John could drive it. Well, I came to a little shallow sort of creek and drove straight through, with no problems. It wasn’t until we came to the entrance to the Moreton Telegraph Station, a hundred metres or so further on, that I realized I’d driven across the dreaded Wenlock, without knowing it! Too easy. Found out later that it now has a firm, gravel base, courtesy of Telstra crews, who got sick of getting stuck there and arranged for big drops of concrete and gravel into it.

It was nearly 3.30pm by this time, so we decided to stop the night at the old Moreton Telegraph Station campground. It cost us $10 – not powered. There were only 5 or 6 other lots of campers in, but they were occupying the shady spots in the really grassy area – there is not a lot of shade there – so we set up away from them.

The buildings here are a bit ramshackle. There are several buildings, including some donga type accommodation units. From our guide book it would appear that it is only 2 or 3 years since a group of tour operators took this place on, to try to start an accommodation business, so I guess they had a lot of restoration to do.

In the 1880’s a route was surveyed for an Overland Telegraph Line, that would go from Laura to Thursday Island, and thus, via Morse Code telegraphy, link Brisbane with parts north and through Asia to the rest of the world. The line surveyed basically followed a straight line. Telegraph relay stations were established near water sources – both for the people manning the stations, and because transport horses needed water. Moreton Telegraph Station was built in 1887. It was built of iron, and like the other stations designed for protection from hostile natives, with shutters that were bolted from the inside, and little gun turrets.

In 1987 Moreton ceased to have any communication and administrative functions.

As we did the minimal set up in the small tent, found that the leaking beer came from only one can – so that was a relief! I wrapped the rest of the slab of cans, individually, in newspaper, to see if the cans travel any better.

Went for a walk back to the Wenlock crossing to have a good look at it, and walked around the station grounds. We found what we assumed was a remnant of the telegraph line – but it was quite strangely on a very short pole.

We had welcome warm showers.

Tea was spag bol.

I couldn’t find any mantles for the Coleman lamp! The one that was on it disintegrated on the corrugations since it was last used at Silver Plains.

Some travellers arrived about 9.15pm and set up camp. I would not like to be driving these roads in the dark!